Nokia Drive is still in Beta on Windows Phone 8 but it has already received one update for power saving. We are keen to hear how you are getting along with the app on your devices. We have seen some odd behavior which includes.

Inability of the app to properly locate correct location

Issues with the screen where it stops updating but navigation continues

Failure to re-calculate a route with insistence on making an unwanted U-turn

We are also concerned at the power draw that Nokia Drive+ incurs on the system, even when plugged into the car to charge it maintaining power rather than actively charging the device.

We understand that the app is still in beta but we are still keen to hear your experiences with the app. We’d like to hear your thoughts on how it compares to the Windows Phone 7 version if you used that. If you have no problems at all then simply reply with a no problems here. We do not want feedback on features that need to be included or similar, only focus on the current app features.

Your feedback will be greatly appreciated.
Rob

01-03-2013, 06:37 AM

Sinabu

Re: Nokia Drive+ Beta Feedback Request

Other than being a wee bit slow to update (Like when turning down a street) My experience has been fine. We went to Chicago and it got me around the City. Used the voice control to "Find a Best Buy", Find McDonalds" all quick in City 2-3 mile trips and it got us there no problem. And then a quick Back to the Hotel :)

01-03-2013, 06:42 AM

benrp

Re: Nokia Drive+ Beta Feedback Request

No problems

01-03-2013, 07:30 AM

stueyboy

Re: Nokia Drive+ Beta Feedback Request

I have had the problem you mentioned where the location doesn't update but the navigation continues. I had to exit navigation and start again with the same destination to resolve this.

I also found that the first couple of times I used the app, I was prompted to download the maps for use offline even though I had already done so. That stopped happening after a couple of times and that may have been a reboot that fixed that although can't say for sure.

I do like the quick options to navigate with or without motorways, ferries, toll roads etc. I know you asked for current feature feedback but if you are planning traffic information implementation, that woudl be amazing.

01-03-2013, 07:39 AM

Korfuntu

Re: Nokia Drive+ Beta Feedback Request

My experience has been good.

I was a previous owner of a Sprint Android smartphone with TeleNav, which I considered to be a good app.

The Nokia Drive+ is an improvement on TeleNav, with a display that is more visible (and readable) while one is driving.

I especially like the ability to download maps for "offline" driving.

01-03-2013, 08:40 AM

EliteMikes

Re: Nokia Drive+ Beta Feedback Request

Works fine except the lack of features and horrible battery life.

Since this isn't the place for feature requests, where can we put our .02 in for what we want to see?

01-03-2013, 11:22 AM

robert brand

Re: Nokia Drive+ Beta Feedback Request

Battery life will always be an issue due to the GPS being on all the time but having the phone not charge when in use is more problematic. As for suggesting new features, you could head over to Nokia Support Discussions - Nokia Support Discussions or feedback through the app (although it seems to be a one time process!).

01-03-2013, 01:06 PM

rangerdogy

Re: Nokia Drive+ Beta Feedback Request

The one thing I wish it did was to do turn-by-turn through Bluetooth when music is not playing on Bluetooth.
For example, if I'm using Drive+ and doing turn-by-turn, it will announce the turns through the phone speaker. Works fine.
If the phone is connected to the car's Bluetooth but the phone is not playing music (e.g. I'm listening to the radio), Drive+ neither gives the next turn through the speakers or through the radio. On WP7, Bing Maps would ding into the radio through Bluetooth for each turn.
If the phone is connected and I'm listening to music from the phone through Bluetooth, it stops the music temporarily, gives the next turn, and then returns to music. Works fine.

So, I just wish it would break into the radio when connected via Bluetooth to announce the next turn.

01-03-2013, 01:52 PM

EliteMikes

Re: Nokia Drive+ Beta Feedback Request

Quote:

Originally Posted by rangerdogy

The one thing I wish it did was to do turn-by-turn through Bluetooth when music is not playing on Bluetooth.
For example, if I'm using Drive+ and doing turn-by-turn, it will announce the turns through the phone speaker. Works fine.
If the phone is connected to the car's Bluetooth but the phone is not playing music (e.g. I'm listening to the radio), Drive+ neither gives the next turn through the speakers or through the radio. On WP7, Bing Maps would ding into the radio through Bluetooth for each turn.
If the phone is connected and I'm listening to music from the phone through Bluetooth, it stops the music temporarily, gives the next turn, and then returns to music. Works fine.

So, I just wish it would break into the radio when connected via Bluetooth to announce the next turn.

I'd definitely say this is an issue and NOT a feature request. This is completely unacceptable. Unfortunately other sounds in the OS don't get played either, such as new email.

01-03-2013, 02:00 PM

cameradork

Re: Nokia Drive+ Beta Feedback Request

The basic mechanics and aesthetics of it are very good overall and the update was huge improvement - I now find the nav totally usable. My biggest complaint with the whole system is the lack of updated POIs and updated roads (there's an underpass by my house that was completely six months ago, but Nokia Maps still doesn't know about it), but I know that's more of a Maps thing than a Drive thing.

As far as just the Drive app is concerned, it's a little slow to update the directions after you make a turn, which is annoying during a series of quick turns in a city where it's already stressful to drive.

When I hit the + and - buttons to set the scale, I'd really like the scale to stay there so when I hit the button that shows where I am, it doesn't zoom back in whatever arbitrary scale it wants.

When I'm looking around at the map, it's nice to see all the little icons for "mechanic" or "gas" or "food", but it would be a lot nicer to tap them and get a popup of what they actually are, and then the option to take a detour to one of those. Also some sort of controls for turning on/off the layers (San Francisco has 50,000,000 places to park, and all those little P icons are visual overload if I'm looking for a gas station or just trying to see the route.

There are also times where the nav is telling me to get off the freeway to stay on the freeway because it changed names, or other confusing things like that. Again, probably a Maps problem rather than Drive.

I'd love a "pause navigation" button. If I go off-route even for gas or something, it keeps freaking out and telling me to turn around which is irritating when I'm in an unfamiliar environment (which is always if I'm using this app).

Separate volume for nav! :)

01-03-2013, 02:53 PM

akiman911

Re: Nokia Drive+ Beta Feedback Request

I think the most important thing that need be implemented is a step by step text list of directions to your destination, like most gps handhelds do. For instance tapping somewhere (the top) brings a list of directions, instead of just repeating the current direction.

I am glad you notice the battery drain, it is quite high.

01-03-2013, 03:35 PM

CapnPauly

Re: Nokia Drive+ Beta Feedback Request

I've heard how Nokia is supposed to have a ton of great mapping and GPS data, which it may have, but I find the execution of that data via Nokia Drive (and Maps, for that matter) to be quite flawed, as, for example, I have had both tell me that an exit I needed to take was on the left when, in fact, it was on the right (this instance was particularly annoying as it was an interchange where there was another exit approaching on the left).
Both also routinely seem to use bizarre routes when compared to that of competitors. I also found that that there was no difference when changing the route between "Shorter", "Faster", and "Economical" (even though other routes on major highways are shorter and faster). Perhaps it was due to the destination I was going, but according to Google Maps, there are many different ways to get there, one of which was both quicker and shorter than the route picked by Drive/Maps.

If it helps I can share the Starting point and destination of the above examples.

Lastly, it would be FANTASTIC if the text directions (of Drive and Maps) would have more than just "Take the Exit on the Left" and include the Exit number, and if I am merging onto a highway ("Merge onto Interstate 77") that it would say in which direction I am supposed to be going. I'd also like Maps to be able to give alternate routes if available.

01-03-2013, 04:15 PM

tylerjp

Re: Nokia Drive+ Beta Feedback Request

I have had a number of situations here in southern california where the exit information was completely incorrect, both the name of the exit as well as the direction to take for the exit, "exit left" when it should have stated "exit right". Very strange.

As far as not charging whist running, I haven't checked it thoroughly, but I have had it seem as though the battery just stayed stationary (consuming as much as it was charging)

01-03-2013, 06:17 PM

Guzzler3

Re: Nokia Drive+ Beta Feedback Request

Fix the compass.

It's frustrating that I can be facing north when I start the app, but it displays the map facing south, or some random direction.

Trying to get it to rotate by physically turning does nothing. I have to start a route, then move in a direction to get it to correct itself.

01-05-2013, 03:44 AM

robert brand

Re: Nokia Drive+ Beta Feedback Request

That is quite interesting, I actually only ever used Nokia Drive on Bluetooth with Music playing. I will test it and see. If thats the case that is a massive oversight. Thanks for the heads up.

01-07-2013, 10:54 AM

ncharlt

Re: Nokia Drive+ Beta Feedback Request

I haven't used it on WP7 (this is my first Nokia) and many of the things above such as the absence of speed cameras, traffic info, waypoint planning and the bizarre failure for it to sync favourites from my Nokia account are already documented. I won't even rant about how disgusted I am that you have done the unforgivable and screwed with the base operating system such that Bing maps is no longer available and when brought back by the 'maps' app available in the store, has had the 'favorites' removed (OK , so I did rant a little). This is Android fragmentation territory and will alone prevent me from ever buying another Nokia.

My overriding concern is the appalling experience I have had over the holiday period with routing. I quite like the style of the program - clean and simple but the quality of some of the directions are at best ludicrous and at worst downright dangerous. I am getting ridiculous U-turn messages, instruction to turn right off of a motorway and strange instructions to turn off a motorway, drive around the outback for 15 miles and then rejoin the motorway a bare two miles from where it told me to turn off. I even had one case of an infinite loop which just kept sending through the same 5 directions time and again.

I'm sure with other routes, things often work fine but I can only recount my personal experience and that bordered on the dangerous to the point where I pulled over and installed a £3 app that could sensibly direct me. I am concerned that that you may concentrate on the nice 'bells and whistles' and not address what, to me, is the major issue of bizarre route planning.

Here endeth the feedback - th

01-07-2013, 11:48 AM

MorbidFun

Re: Nokia Drive+ Beta Feedback Request

I have only used the Nokia Drive+ app a few times and then switched to using another app. There were a number of reasons why, most were already touched upon. One of the main sticking points for me is that the app would always route me the same way to work despite the traffice conditions. Whether traffic was great and I could make it to work in 45 minutes or traffic was horrible and it took me 95 minutes, it never adjusted the route no matter what option I selected. The other app I now use had me go three different routes so far and each one ended up being great considering the conditions and the most it took to get to work was 60 minutes.
My first time using it I had to go to a certain place I have never been to and the app instructed me to stay right and take the exit. I ended up missing the exit because the exit was on the left and I realized the app probably meant to tell me to stay in the right part of the farthest two lanes which took the exit, but the app was never specific and did not provide text instruction that I could glance at and get a better idea of where to be.
I love the simplicity of the app overall and would love to continue with Nokia Drive+, but there are many small things wrong or missing currently.

01-07-2013, 02:21 PM

CapnPauly

Re: Nokia Drive+ Beta Feedback Request

Quote:

Originally Posted by ncharlt

...My overriding concern is the appalling experience I have had over the holiday period with routing. I quite like the style of the program - clean and simple but the quality of some of the directions are at best ludicrous and at worst downright dangerous. I am getting ridiculous U-turn messages, instruction to turn right off of a motorway and strange instructions to turn off a motorway, drive around the outback for 15 miles and then rejoin the motorway a bare two miles from where it told me to turn off. I even had one case of an infinite loop which just kept sending through the same 5 directions time and again...

YES! This happened to me once as well. They wanted me to take a state route south, get off at an exit, then get on the same state route going north. W-T-EFF?

Other than the poor routing, I like the app. Again, getting the exit numbers and the direction of the various highways (e.g. "Merge US I-77 N") would be very nice, functional additions.

01-07-2013, 08:54 PM

halfpint54

Re: Nokia Drive+ Beta Feedback Request

I to am very disappointed that this app doesn't have the text version included. I often used this on my other phones navigation apps so I could see ahead of time where I would be turning.

01-07-2013, 11:47 PM

realwarder

Re: Nokia Drive+ Beta Feedback Request

I previously loaded the app and tried it on a drive once. It worked well and I was also amazed at the performance when zooming in and out when just playing on it.

However the app does have a significant power issue, in particular when the app is no longer being used and the phone is in standby. It can actually make the phone get hot. And I know it's Drive/WP8 bug because it's never happened before or after.

See graph here after I stop using Drive and the phone went into standby:

I've had the issue where map starts updating as well. Even if i close the app (infinite back button), the problem persists when i restart the app. The only way i can stop it is to reboot the phone. More of a feature problem is that in the UK, even when i need to stay on a motorway it might say 'exit right'. Basically this happens whenever a motorway has a major exit come up on the left. It sounds quite bizarre to be told to exit right when all i need to do is keep on driving straight. This means for long journies it never states how long the motorway portion is on the top.. Because it keeps on restarting the counter everytime i 'exit right'... Google maps doesn't do this...

01-08-2013, 03:30 AM

robmif76

Re: Nokia Drive+ Beta Feedback Request

Coming from the iOS world and having used Tomtom as my regular satnav these are my issues with drive: -
1) no speed camera alerts
2) no lane assist
3) power drain
4) no offline POI search
5) screen real estate not used properly hence not able to display all the available data simultaneously

For these reasons it is completely unusable for me and counts as yet another half backed feature/app.

01-08-2013, 08:24 AM

cuzincurly

Re: Nokia Drive+ Beta Feedback Request

directions in text
and update your maps on some other countries like the Philippines

I showed Nokia maps to some people including my brother who's a garmin map user and they were impressed

01-08-2013, 09:08 AM

pjs37

Re: Nokia Drive+ Beta Feedback Request

Quote:

Originally Posted by robmif76

Coming from the iOS world and having used Tomtom as my regular satnav these are my issues with drive: -
1) no speed camera alerts
2) no lane assist
3) power drain
4) no offline POI search
5) screen real estate not used properly hence not able to display all the available data simultaneously

For these reasons it is completely unusable for me and counts as yet another half backed feature/app.

Well the TomTom app costs something where as the Nokia Drive app is free for Lumia users. I don't expect much just the basics really.

01-08-2013, 11:24 AM

Chris Gregory

Re: Nokia Drive+ Beta Feedback Request

I have an issue with Drive (and to GPS in general)
If i travel to another country and have roaming off, I cannot get a gps lock. It sits there for 20 minutes until it gets too hot to hold.

I have also installed gpsinfo and seen that it cant get a location lock either without data turned on.
turn on roaming, i get a lock in 5 seconds, but it costs me $10.

Cant really use this phone travelling in this state.
any suggestions or help would be appreciated.